2021-2022
CONTENTS Foreword from the CEO Where We Work How We Work Our Impact in Numbers, 2021-22 Team Member Profile Survivor Story Ukraine Anti-TraffickingCrisis: Response Updates From Our U.S. and Global Programs Reform and Governmental Influence Hope for Justice in the Media and in the ClosingSlave-FreeCommunityAllianceStatementfrom our Chair040201060809101224262832 Names of victims and survivors have been changed throughout this document for their safety and privacy
The work of Hope for Justice has never been more desperately needed. Modern slavery and human trafficking is a crime that thrives on people’s vulnerability and desperation, and there is too much of both in our world right now, worsened by economic insecurity, conflicts like the war in Ukraine, poverty and family breakdown.
The people responsible for using human beings in this way, treating them like commodities to be bought and sold and exploited, must be brought to justice. The victims and survivors must be supported to find their freedom, and to have their hope and dignity rebuilt.
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That is what we have strived to do this year at Hope for Justice. We want to be a voice for the voiceless and a light in the darkness – a helping hand reaching out to those who thought they were Aroundalone.the world, our programs reached more than 200,000 people this year; that’s more than ever before. We celebrate each and every person rescued from the brutal reality of human trafficking and given the aftercare they deserve, while acknowledging that ending this crime forever requires us to prevent people from falling victim to it in the first place. We need to reform society to make it truly hostile to the traffickers’ behavior.
Tim Nelson CEO, Hope for Justice 01
I am so proud of the work of the staff and volunteers who have impacted so many lives in a positive way. I also want to say a huge thank you to all the individuals, businesses, churches and groups who have given generously to support this vital work to see human beings given back their freedom and their hope. I would like to thank the organizations who have funded specific projects or important parts of our programs around the world, including the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery; The D. Gary Young, Young Living Foundation; Modern Slavery Innovation Fund; UNICEF; Woord en Daad; Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation; Experian; Souter Charitable Trust; Samworth Foundation; Coca-Cola Consolidated; and Zochonis Charitable Trust. Thank you to everyone who has taken action this year on behalf of victims and survivors and in the cause of ending this terrible crime. I truly believe that we can be the generation to end human trafficking – and with your support, we will.
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ReviewAnnual Hope for Justice runs projects and has teams in more than 30 locations across five continents, with plans to expand further. 03
• 2) an exit from a situation of exploitation or vulnerability, whether through physical removal from a location (where this is appropriate, and usually alongside law enforcement), placement into a temporary shelter or supported housing, or entry into our Lighthouse program. We also act as an alternative pathway out of exploitation for victims too scared to engage directly with law enforcement; 3) getting to an initial position of stability (physically and mentally) to continue their journey, which if with Hope for Justice is part of our ‘Restoring Lives’ pillar of work.
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Across the world, outreach is a vital part of our work. Our experienced teams engage with vulnerable adults and children to help keep them safe. We help children and teenagers out of dangerous and vulnerable circumstances, such as living alone on the streets, and encourage them to join our Lighthouse centers, for safe shelter, counseling, educational opportunities, fun activities and eventually, reintegration or transition to independent living. For adults, our teams use community engagement, cultural knowledge and language skills to connect with vulnerable populations and individuals, run trafficking prevention initiatives or begin the process of a rescue out of exploitation.
• Intelligence gathered about traffickers and gangs is shared with law enforcement – many perpetrators have been convicted and jailed thanks to this work. Training Hope for Justice believes in multi-agency working and trains law enforcement, medical professionals, social services, community outreach programs and other frontline agencies and organizations across the United States and Canada. We offer instructorled training (in-person and virtual), and online courses for people to complete in their own time via the Hope for Justice Learning Academy portal (see pages 12-13)
Rescue Many of our countries host specialized Hubs and Regional Centers staffed by experienced investigators and/or multilingual community engagement experts. Our rescue work comprises all the activities and services that Hope for Justice provides directly and indirectly to victims and survivors of trafficking, to support them at the beginning of their journey towards their preferred outcome of recovery and safety. This is unique to the individual, but commonly will focus on activities including: 04 1) identification as a victim (through outreach, community engagement, awareness-raising, training, investigations and referrals);
WORKWEHOW
Family reintegration – children (Lighthouses) While children are being cared for at our Lighthouses, we work to trace their families when possible, and consider how best to safely return them back to their families or to family-based care. We support families to prevent children separating from them again. Reintegration to biological or extended families is only considered when they are able to provide safe care and where any risk of re-trafficking or re-exploitation is low, as assessed by our case managers. The child must be an active participant in the decision. Where family reintegration is unsafe or impossible, other options include safe foster care, specialized long-time care with another agency, or independent living combined with vocational and business skills.
• Child Protection Clubs (typically in schools) and Hubs (typically in urban slums): Students or children meet weekly, supervised by a volunteer mentor, to learn about children’s rights and the dangers of trafficking and unsafe migration. The students or children then educate others through school and community events. The Hubs are safe spaces for study, play and support for children both in and out of education.
Community prevention Our community prevention programs are focused in Uganda and Ethiopia. They strengthen families, communities and systems to prevent children separating from families and from being trafficked, exploited or enslaved. They tackle root causes, such as underlying poverty, aggravated by family stress, peer pressure on children to seek opportunities for a better life, and attitudes viewing children as economic assets. The programs consist of: Self-Help Groups: A fixed group of participants (usually women) who meet weekly and are financially and socially empowered through training in effective parenting, child protection, anti-trafficking, communication and other skills.
Community Awareness Raising: Mass media campaigns and training for community leaders, to reduce the risk of trafficking and exploitation.
Youth Training: Small business skills training and/ or apprenticeship training to create opportunity and reduce vulnerability. Reform
Advocacy – adults In the UK, our multi-disciplinary Independent Modern Slavery Advocates (IMSAs) work with victims after rescue to help them rebuild their lives, by helping them access housing, benefits, good-quality employment opportunities, psychological support, legal advice and more. We advocate on behalf of survivors and guide them through the criminal and civil justice processes to ensure they receive restitution. Safe aftercare – adults In the USA, we are developing a communitybased approach to aftercare in North Carolina for female survivors of sex trafficking to rebuild their lives. Hope for Justice will provide counseling and different forms of therapy, as well as providing tailored case management for every client. This involves connecting survivors to services including medical care, accommodation, legal assistance, and whatever other services will aid in their recovery.
Our direct work with victims and survivors informs Hope for Justice and Slave-Free Alliance’s work on national and international policy reform and legislative engagement, creating long-term sustainable frameworks for an anti-trafficking ecosystem. You can read more about our Reform work on pages 24-25. 05
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• Community Conversations: Structured discussions between groups of people affected by complex community problems. For example, we bring together domestic workers, employers, brokers and community leaders to discuss complex shared issues of exploitation, human rights and unsafe migration, and agree changes that benefit all.
• Child Protection Committees: Key stakeholders such as officials, police, schools, community and religious groups working together to better protect children and ensure reports of abuse are followed up and acted on.
Transitional care – children (Lighthouses) Our Lighthouses provide temporary care and support for vulnerable and exploited children, keeping them safe from the dangers of the streets or their previous circumstances as we work to assess their physical, mental and emotional health and their circumstances. Our Lighthouses also offer individual and group counseling and are complemented by our Shine Schools, where children receive catch-up education and life skills training. Older children and teenagers also get help with vocational training to develop skills for employment
ReviewAnnual Direct reach: 58,119 People This includes people rescued from human trafficking, helped through aftercare, professionals given intensive training and those participating in our Self-Help Groups. Indirect reach: People141,775 This includes family members of our beneficiaries who indirectly benefited from our work, those attending community anti-trafficking awareness and education events, and those reached through online and virtual outreach sessions.IMPACT:OUR ACHIEVEMENTSYEAR’STHIS This year, our work reached an Childrenincredible&Adults. 199,894 06
ReviewAnnualProfessionalsChildrenChildren12,045People1,7271,499&Teenagers19,772&Practitioners11,714People32,823Children105Children105,227People95Businesses are now members of Slave-Free Alliance, including 12 current or former FTSE 100 reachedmembersthrough Child Wellbeing Clubs and events, community conversations, and Child Protection Committees given legal support to help them see justice done against their benefitedabusersfrom their caregiver’s participation in the Self-Help participatedGroupsinour Self-HelptrainedGroups to spot the signs and respond effectively to human trafficking and modern slavery reunified with their families or to safe foster care, or supported into independent living served at our Lighthouse aftercare shelters globally helped who were victims, potential victims or survivors of human trafficking and modern slavery 07
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Enrique Restoy is our new Director of International Programs, joining Hope for Justice in this Executive role in October 2021.
He oversees the programmatic strategy of Hope for Justice and the expansion of our programs. Enrique’s professional background is mostly in human rights. He has held senior positions at Frontline AIDS, Anti-Slavery International and the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, and as a Researcher for West Africa at Amnesty International.
Enrique is the author of numerous academic and policy publications on human trafficking, human rights and gender research, and charity programming in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. These include the worst forms of child labor, the involvement of children in armed conflict, and migration and human trafficking flows between Northern Africa and Europe.
Enrique holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of Sussex, where he is a Research Associate and a member of the Impact Advisory Board of the School of Global Studies. When he is not in the ‘virtual office of Hope for Justice’ or traveling, Enrique enjoys walking with his wife, Alison, their two children and the family dog, as well as refereeing basketball for the University leagues, and road cycling. You can connect with Enrique www.linkedin.com/in/enriquerestoy/at:
08 TEAMTHEMEET RESTOYENRIQUE
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09 MAISIE’S STORY 12-YEAR-OLD
One day, she met someone online who said he was a 14-year-old boy from England. He wanted to be friends with her, and she was flattered by the attention. They talked for a few days through the virtual reality apps, then the boy suggested that they connect on Snapchat, and afterwards, swap phone numbers so they could text and call. After about three weeks of regular contact, her new friend asked Maisie to send him inappropriate photographs of her body, and she did so. The individual then suggested a FaceTime call, and asked Maisie to tell her friends that they could join the call too. Maisie’s mother heard about the planned FaceTime call after a friend of Maisie’s told her own mother that Maisie had asked for her to be part of it. The mother’s friend had recently attended a Hope for Justice human trafficking awareness training course. Having spotted the possible signs of online grooming, she directed Maisie’s mother to us.
Richard continued: “We are relieved that Maisie is safe, and hope the individual who groomed her will soon be brought to justice. With children spending more and more time online, it’s vital that parents and children alike know that not everyone they meet online will be who they say they are. “We are urging everyone to empower themselves with knowledge about the risks of online grooming and exploitation. By doing so, we can enjoy our time online while protecting ourselves and our families, and helping to stop traffickers exploiting the innocent and vulnerable.”
identity.survivor’sprotecttoactor,byposedimageandchangedNameNote:
Our team began trying to identify the person through their phone number. We discovered that this was an adult living in the U.S. Our further investigations revealed his past conviction of kidnapping, as well as other crimes. We then contacted local law enforcement, who interviewed the individual and took his phone and other devices for further investigation. We remain in touch with Maisie and her family, who will receive counseling.
We regularly share survivor stories, with their consent and with appropriate anonymization to protect their identity, at the Hope for Justice website. We also share stories on our social media channels and in our monthly Hope News email. Make sure you follow us and sign up to stay informed! SAFE AFTER BEING GROOMED BY KIDNAPPER
Richard Schoeberl, United States Team Leader at Hope for Justice, said: “Maisie’s mother was very concerned about her daughter’s safety. We visited the family and spoke with Maisie and her mother. It was clear Maisie was being groomed by this individual. “He had even asked her to delete her sent messages, telling her that nobody else should see the pictures she sent him. He had gained her trust to the point that she had also told him where she lived.”
Of the nearly 200,000 people reached by our work in 2021-22 across our pillars of preventing exploitation, rescuing victims, restoring lives, and reforming society, more than 12,000 were themselves victims, potential victims or survivors of human trafficking and modern slavery. We cannot tell all 12,000 individual stories of lifechanging impact in this document, so we wanted to share Maisie’s story as just one powerful example of what can happen when someone like you chooses to support Hope for Justice and empower our work. Maisie, who is 12 years old and lives in the Southern United States, had been playing games on her phone using apps such as Virtual Reality Quest.
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Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked a humanitarian crisis and also created conditions of instability and lawlessness in which trafficking can thrive. That is why Hope for Justice and our partners began work almost immediately to create and distribute useful resources for those fleeing the crisis and who faced heightened risks. We created Trafficking Alert leaflets, and factsheets with advice for anyone fleeing the conflict, as well as those supporting them. We also partnered with Stop The Traffik and other charities to produce new multilingual resources called ‘Ukrainians Welcome’. This is split across useful categories like Health, Travel, Legal, Work, Housing, Reporting Concerns, Support, Finances, Family, Children, and General Information The information is available as landing pages in English, Russian and Ukrainian. We are promoting this initiative by distributing brochures with a QR code and through online advertising targeted at Ukrainian speakers in locations such as train stations and Moreports.than 25 non-profits, including Hope for Justice, wrote to the UK’s main phone network companies, asking them to provide a vital welcome text to Ukrainian refugees arriving in that country. At the time of publication, Vodafone had already agreed to do this.
Ukrainians Welcome – це спільна ініціатива британських організацій, що борються з рабством та за права людини. Її мета – надати корисну інформацію щодо безпеки та життя в цілому у Великобританії переміщеним українцям. Будьте в У ВеликобританіїВашеу ВеликобританіїбезпеціБезпечнеПеребування ukrainianswelcome.org UKRAINE CRISIS10
The full letter and the list of signatories is available at the Hope for Justice website.
Uniting to condemn Ukraine invasion and traffickers’ attempts to target fleeing victims. Early in the conflict, Hope for Justice published a rapid assessment report setting out the risks of modern slavery for those fleeing the Ukraine crisis, as well as short and longer term recommendations to reduce the risks. Human traffickers are entrepreneurial and opportunistic criminals, who will exploit vulnerabilities in any process. So we worked with the official systems and with communities to ensure Ukrainians placed under the UK Government’s Homes for Ukraine initiative (or any other channel), were not at risk of being exploited at this vulnerable time, and to ensure those affected by human trafficking got support. Hope for Justice would like to thank everyone who donated to our emergency ‘Ukraine Crisis’ appeal in support of all this work. We signed an open letter that read in part: “As long as the military invasion of Ukraine continues, the vulnerability of displaced people in the country to human trafficking will increase due to deteriorating rule of law and impunity; further forced displacement; humanitarian need and socio-economic stress and social fragmentation.
Alongside Hope for Justice, signatories included the leaders of major anti-trafficking groups like the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), Shared Hope, The Freedom Fund, ECPAT USA, and many others from across the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe. They call on the countries that are welcoming refugees to ensure they implement effective prevention measures against human trafficking. They list measures including training for frontline agencies; safe and legal routes for those who are fleeing; measures to more easily enable potential victims to be identified; trauma-informed and holistic care to be made available for survivors of trafficking; and steps taken to ensure perpetrator accountability. With these countries already doing so much to assist refugees, the signatories ask the wider international community to shoulder some of the financial burden of these vital measures.
Human trafficking will also escalate in the countries to where people from Ukraine are fleeing. There have also been deeply concerning reports of attempts to traffic women and girls fleeing Ukraine in neighbouring countries, including Poland and Romania.”
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The letter-writers say: “Human trafficking and conflict feed each other. By promising stability, security and employment, traffickers often appear to offer a greater prospect of hope for individuals who might have left everything behind.”
4,871 professionals trained in the USA in 2021-22, plus 4,907 people in the UK
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Training and learning at Hope for Justice went from strength to strength in 2021-22, with the launch of our new Learning Academy online portal, plus the delivery of more traditional training (in-person and remote) than ever before.
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The new Hope for Justice Learning Academy provides specialist online human trafficking training, tailored to the needs of different groups who are vital in the fight against exploitation. It is a dedicated online learning portal offering interactive training for the public and for frontline practitioners including clinicians, law enforcement and employees and management within the hospitality industry. Currently, these courses are being launched in the U.S., but online courses for the UK and other global locations are planned.
The training of law enforcement officers working in rural counties is particularly important in Iowa, where it is thought that both sexual and labor exploitation is taking place, hidden in plain sight.
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Our online courses are authored by experts who are actively working as investigators, clinical or law enforcement practitioners, social workers, program specialists, country specialists and in other critical frontline roles in the field of human trafficking. Hope for Justice Learning Academy courses empower people to take action with confidence, should they spot the signs of human trafficking. We will be translating our courses into multiple languages, to extend training access to non-English speaking populations in the US and globally. Our ambitious plans for the future will provide courses tailored to those who are vulnerable to being trafficked themselves. We want to make them aware of the warning signs, and let them know how we can help. The goal of the Hope for Justice Learning Academy is to broaden and deepen our prevention impact and ultimately lead to more victims finding their freedom. The Hope for Justice Learning Academy will be rolled out to other countries in which we operate, providing courses tailored to key audiences locally, in the coming months.
Hope for Justice is using the platform to offer a free interactive spot the signs course open to the public to raise awareness of human trafficking. Hope for Justice has partnered with the D. Gary Young, Young Living Foundation to develop a course. This threepart, interactive multimedia course will help parents and caregivers understand and actively protect their kids from online exploitation.
Training law enforcement officers
Hope for Justice’s newest investigative Hub team in Iowa is now training police officers from hundreds of law enforcement agencies across the state. Our team is helping to deliver the training, which is set to be a lifeline to trafficking victims, to all officers who attend the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. Alongside the Academy’s instructors, we are delivering vital specialist training on all aspects of human trafficking, from how to spot the signs that someone is being exploited, to how to investigate and help combat this heinous crime.
Anti-trafficking courses by experts
David Gonzalez, Senior Investigator for the Midwest Region at Hope for Justice, said: “It’s an honor to be partnering with the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy to provide human trafficking training to law enforcement officers. In our ongoing fight against human trafficking, it’s vital that we get the word out to our frontline law enforcement about the potential signs, how to respond, and how to investigate human trafficking. We also want to let police officers know how we can and will help them in their “Partneringefforts,.with the Academy, and working closely together with police officers, will certainly help transform the lives of many more victims and survivors of human trafficking.”
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Laura Levy, Hope for Justice’s Head of Learning, said: “We are very excited to be pioneering this critical resource in the fight against human trafficking. Currently, there is no single online portal dedicated to anti-trafficking training. The Hope for Justice Learning Academy is designed for that purpose: To grow awareness and develop practitioner skills to actively identify and address the circumstances of labor, sex and online exploitation.”
Poverty is one of the main root causes of human trafficking. With half of women in Ethiopia regularly running out of food or unable to eat some days, many are at high risk of exploitation.
Dereje Zeleke, Ethiopia Country Programs Director at Hope for Justice, said: “Our 452 Ethiopian SelfHelp Groups meet regularly, providing nearly 9,000 women with a support network in their own community that allows them to build their economic, social and emotional strength. Together, the women realise their potential.”
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Across Ethiopia and Uganda, 11,714 women participated in our Self-Help Groups in 2021-21, and 32,823 children benefited from their caregiver’s participation.
BUILDTOWOMENEMPOWERING SELF-HELPFUTURE:BRIGHTA ETHIOPIAINGROUPS
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In order to ease poverty and protect women and their children from being trafficked, it’s vital that they are able to build a self-sufficient future.
Ethiopia is one of two countries where Hope for Justice is empowering women with the skills, means and support that they need to carve out their own path to independence and prosperity, through our Self-Help Groups. They learn small business and financial management skills, and save money as a group. The group then provides loans to its members, to enable them to create their own small businesses.
IN NUMBERS – Highlights from our work in Ethiopia in 2021-22
The women also have the chance to share their ideas, skills and resources and come up with solutions to their social and economic problems. Often, when a woman is struggling to tackle a problem by herself, we find she is more than capable of overcoming it when she joins hands with other women. With a financially stable future and a local support network in place, the women are less likely to be forced to send their children away to work to help provide for the family, putting them at high risk of being trafficked. They are also in turn more likely to afford school fees for their children, which will further increase their sons and daughters’ chances of a bright future. Indeed, we were delighted to hear from some of our members that they had decided to stop their children working and return them to school instead.
To read more about the work of our Lighthouses and reintegration, and our community prevention activities, see pages 4-5.
• People reached through Child Wellbeing Clubs and events, community conversations: 97,659
It is estimated that 10,500 children are living on the streets of Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.
Over the next few months, Addisie gradually contributed more to her group’s savings, and was introduced to small business skills and financial management training. She took out a loan and scaled up her enjera-baking activity. She now sells enjera at the nearby market, and has also started making containers for the flatbread to expand her business.
• Total number of potential victims and survivors helped in Ethiopia: 4,994
Child trafficking in Ethiopia
Addisie continues: “Now, I have Ekub (local savings) side by side with my group, and this has made me very strong. I am motivated, gained strength and started giving more attention to my future plans. Furthermore, it is a great guarantee that the money my group saved is deposited in the bank. I am very confident that my children will continue their education and be protected from exploitation and trafficking.”
Hope for Justice data indicates that over 60% of these children are trafficked into sexual and labor exploitation, and others are forced to resort to dangerous survival mechanisms such as theft, violence and drug abuse. Research in 2021 (focused on boys) identified 228 cases of trafficking across our four Lighthouses for boys in Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Sodo and Hosanna.
Addisie’s story
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Children served in one of our six Ethiopia Lighthouses: 1,244
• Children and teenagers reintegrated with families or safe foster care, or into independent living where appropriate: 1,190 Children helped in the community through outreach activities: 2,826
With eight children to feed, 33-year-old Addisie was struggling to make ends meet. In mid-2021, she heard about a Hope for Justice Self-Help Group operating in her community, and decided to join. Addisie said: “Previously, I had no knowledge of saving. I used to bake only a small amount of enjera (flatbread) for only the people around me.”
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Some of these boys are orphans, but many others do still have parents or family members in the villages or towns they originally came from. Among these children, the factors that led them to end up on the streets include family breakdown and drivers linked to poverty. That is why we pursue a holistic approach. We run community prevention activities like Self-Help Groups to prevent it happening in the first place, as well as outreach, rescue and aftercare to help children who have already been trafficked or are vulnerable to it while living on the streets.
Hope for Justice consolidated and expanded our work in the UK during 2021-22, with the launch of our newest Hub, covering the North West England region, and with Northern Ireland based charity No More Traffik joining our organization.
The team at our North West Hub have been working with the Pan Lancashire Anti-Slavery Partnership (PLASP), homelessness charities, foodbanks, local governments, law enforcement and more since the launch in April 2021. They have helped partners to identify human trafficking cases and have worked with survivors to help them to access the support they are entitled to receive. They have also focused on raising awareness of trafficking among vulnerable communities who are potential targets for human traffickers and perpetrators.
No More Traffik was established in Belfast in 2012 and was part of training PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) recruits, as well as doctors, nurses, midwives and emergency room clinicians, social workers, youth workers, homeless shelters and community and religious leaders.
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In its most recent full year of activities, the charity delivered training to over 700 frontline professionals likely to come in contact with victims of human trafficking, and delivered general awareness-raising presentations to over 5,500 people in Northern Ireland.
No More Traffik becomes part of Hope for Justice
EXPANDING OUR WORK INTO NEW AREAS OF THE UK
Collective impact Hannah Mitchell, our Lead Community Engagement Specialist in North West England, said: “It has been really encouraging to see how local organizations and incredible people working with the most vulnerable members of our society are ready to help prevent modern slavery, identify potential victims and support survivors. “Each survivor we have supported so far has helped us see the impact of what we’re collectively doing, but also how there is still lots more to do to reform exploitative systems and end modern-day slavery.”
In September 2021, we announced that No More Traffik had joined Hope for Justice, taking our work to Northern Ireland for the first time.
Among those trained by the team at the new Hub are workers and volunteers at foodbanks, soup kitchens and drop-ins supporting people facing hardship, isolation, homelessness, asylum seekers and refugees. We have also delivered training to community safety, neighborhood and housing officers from local governments and public housing providers, and healthcare workers.
Hope for Justice is continually reviewing and assessing options to launch in new areas, where we can have the most impact.
Pete Kernoghan, who was No More Traffik’s Founder and then Development Director, has become a member of the team at Hope for Justice to further develop and expand this work. He said: “By working with the additional expertise of the team at Hope for Justice, we can make more of an impact and help change more lives.”
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Our work in Uganda is holistic, with elements covering all four of our pillars: preventing exploitation, rescuing victims, restoring lives, and reforming society. You can see some of the impact this work has had in the box below. Behind each statistic are thousands of real lives impacted and changed by our programs and our dedicated staff. We have also had a focus this year on the wider issue of justice. Because we believe that when the people responsible for human trafficking and exploitation are held accountable, survivors understand that their voices can be heard and valued; other perpetrators are deterred; and a message is sent to the wider world that human trafficking will not be tolerated.
Inspiring confidence in children to take part in legal proceedings We spread a message of hope to survivors; for them to be confident that justice can and will be carried out. We do training sessions with survivors at our Lighthouses in Uganda, to make children aware of the part they can play. For example, they learn how to report abuse, and the role of police, parents, community leaders and the courts in protecting their Sometimesrights. children speak of their fears of pursuing justice, due to threats from perpetrators, parents or peers. So they hear anonymized examples of real court cases, to inspire confidence that survivors are taken seriously, and protected, when taking part in legal proceedings. It is also important that survivors are familiar with the scenario of a court to help make the experience less daunting. The children then put what they learn to the test at a mock trial; one imaginary case involved a 14-yearold girl who had been abused by a 35-year-old man. Each child was given a role, such as judge, suspect, or witness. The children showed how they could give evidence and work with others during a trial. They really engaged with the session, and afterwards could outline the role of the prosecutor and the judge, as well as assess the credibility of the Moseswitness.Wangadia, our Uganda Program Director, said: “Our ultimate goal is to bring an end to modern-day slavery and change lives, and to achieve this, we must lead the way in bringing about justice for survivors. Crucially, we empower survivors with hope; that justice can be achieved, and that change will come.”
The group heard from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Honorable Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo, as well as the Assistant DPP and Head of Trafficking In Persons, Rachel Bikhole. Also present were two representatives from the U.S. Embassy in Kampala. The participants gained essential knowledge and skills in identifying victims and collecting evidence; conducting investigations; charging perpetrators with trafficking offences; and referring survivors into support services using trauma-informed methods.
Putting survivors at the heart of the justice system In September 2021, we hosted training for key players in the justice sector. Twenty-five police officers, prosecutors, and judicial officials successfully completed the two-day course, which we ran alongside the Human Trafficking Institute.
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• Children helped in the community through outreach activities: 673 Children served at a Lighthouse in Uganda: 447
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IN NUMBERS – Highlights from our work in Uganda in 2021-22
• Child survivors provided legal support through the criminal justice system: 76
UGANDA: TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE AND A FOCUS ON JUSTICE
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The five men and three women jailed in 2019 were convicted of conspiracy to traffic people, requiring them to perform forced labor and acquiring criminal property.
Hope for Justice supports survivors
The enforcers
At the next trial in 2021, one of those who was jailed was a corrupt recruitment agent who profited from the trafficking gang’s vicious exploitation of human beings. It’s believed that the man who is in his 50s, made over £500,000 ($600,000). He made this fortune while the exploited workers –trafficked with false promises of wealth and a good lifestyle – lived in squalor and ended up in some cases with just £20 ($24) a week. An accomplice pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering and was given a 20-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.
Wider networks of culpability and responsibility Paul McAnulty, UK & Europe Program Director at Hope for Justice, said: “Human traffickers profit from the misery and desperation of others, exploiting vulnerabilities in good people. This exploitation is often perpetuated by a network of others who choose to look the other way, fail to live up to their responsibilities or, worse, are actively complicit in these crimes. Employers, retailers, labor providers, landlords, banks, consumers, all of us owe a duty of care – we must collectively look to shine a light on the abhorrent and reprehensible crime of modern slavery. “Hope for Justice is proud of our role in working alongside West Midlands Police and partners to bring an end to this particular gang’s activities, and in assisting the survivors to freedom and supporting them towards their preferred futures.”
One survivor of modern slavery who was exploited by the gang through two years of forced labor in terrible conditions, Janusz*, gave evidence at the most recent trial. He was supported at court by his Independent Modern Slavery Advocate (IMSA) at Hope for Justice. Janusz* was interviewed by the media about his experiences – a link is available at the Hope for Justice website.
The judge thanked Janusz and the other victims for coming forward and re-living their harrowing ordeal in court in order to help secure justice.
West Midlands Police Detective Chief Inspector Nick Dale led the investigation and has thanked Hope for Justice’s UK team for its role. He also said: “It’s really important businesses know where their workforce is coming from, be intrusive and ask questions. Otherwise they could be fuelling the exploitation of vulnerable victims.”
Three more people were jailed in September 2021 as part of the largest modern slavery prosecution in UK history, after eight others were sentenced to a combined 55 years in prison in July 2019. The trials followed a long-running investigation in which Hope for Justice worked closely with West Midlands Police, the UK’s National Crime Agency and chief prosecuting authority.
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He admitted conspiracy to force people into forced labor, conspiracy to traffic people for the purpose of exploitation, and money laundering.
Bravery in giving evidence
Two Polish gang members played the roles of ‘trusted enforcers’ for the trafficking network, using violence and threats to intimidate victims and keep them in line. One of these two was known as ‘Diable’ – Polish for Devil – and had a feared reputation. As well as enforcing for the gang through threats and violence, on one occasion he stripped the identification from a victim who had died of natural causes in one of the gang’s houses – all to prevent the gang from being caught so they could continue to exploit people.
The other man, when sentenced, was found guilty of conspiracy to force people into forced labor and conspiracy to traffic people for the purpose of exploitation. The judge described their role in bringing victims into the country as “grab and imprison”
Corrupt recruitment agency
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Hope for Justice is proud of our UK team’s role in first detecting the trafficking network’s activities, then working with law enforcement to identify and support scores of survivors to help them in their recovery and as they bravely gave evidence against the gang. It is thought those responsible exploited up to 400 people in total, while collectively making at least two million pounds ($2.4 million) from June 2012 to October 2017.
“After last year’s Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic had to be canceled due to Covid-19, it was truly wonderful to see so many people gathered together, pounding the streets to help us end the exploitation of human beings. We are also very grateful to The JOY FM, for everything that they do to help us make the event a success, spread the word about the event, and about human trafficking itself. Together, we can change lives and end human trafficking.” Team Freedom was established 11 years ago, by Hope for Justice co-founder and top recording artist Natalie Grant, and The JOY FM Morning Cruise presenter Carmen Brown. Hope for Justice Chief Executive Tim Nelson, who also ran as part of Team Freedom, took to the stage to talk about the lasting impact that the funds raised by our runners is making, and the crowd also heard some real-life stories about survivors of human trafficking. Natalie then performed some of her most-loved songs to a church packed full of Team Freedom runners and their families, friends and supporters.
From teenagers to septuagenarians, a wide variety of runners took part in the event for us in Tampa, Florida, united by the same goal; to help us rescue more victims, help them rebuild their lives, and help us prevent exploitation.
Team Freedom 2022 raised more than $178,000 at the annual Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic, taking the total raised by the event past $1 million since the first Team Freedom run back in 2011. Team Freedom, which is a collaboration between Hope for Justice and Christian radio station The JOY FM, was this year joined by more than 250 people who ran a range of distances from 5km to a half marathon (13 miles) over the weekend of February 26-27.
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“To take us past the $1 million mark is a truly phenomenal achievement, and will make a lasting difference to the lives of people trapped in exploitation.
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Marie Popko, Head of Events at Hope for Justice, said: “It was an incredibly successful Team Freedom 2022, and would like to say an enormous thank you and congratulations to each and every runner.
TEAM FREEDOM HAS RAISED MORE THAN $1 MILLION
Heather Stockdale, Director of U.S. Programs at Hope for Justice said, “We were really pleased to have been able to share our experience and insights with the co-authors of the Frederick Douglass Bill, and are delighted that it got strong support from both the Republicans and Democrats in the vote. We are grateful to all our supporters who wrote their representatives, asking them to support the Bill. This is a really important step in our journey as a country in the fight against human trafficking – one which we are all helping to shape.”
After the vote in the House of Representatives, Chris Smith, Representative for New Jersey and the Bill’s co-author, said, “The enormous support in the House for this critical human rights and law enforcement legislation is a testament to a widespread consensus and underscores the absolute urgency for securing the funds needed to protect victims, prosecute perpetrators and prevent trafficking from occurring in the first place.”
As well as supporting survivors of trafficking, the TVPRA will also help prevent it from happening at home and abroad through improved education on keeping children safe online, stopping convicted child sex offenders’ being able to travel for international sex tourism; and by integrating antitrafficking measures into U.S. aid programs.
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TVPRA Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act Hope for Justice had a strong focus throughout the year on a set of linked legislation for the U.S. collectively known as the TVPRA.
the TVPA first created the U.S. response to human trafficking. It has been reauthorized five times; in 2003, 2005, 2008, 2013, and 2019. It has never yet failed to be reauthorized, but the current version lapsed in September 2021 and had not yet been reauthorized at the time of writing. This sixth reauthorization would continue vital antitrafficking programs and policies supporting victims and survivors. Without reauthorization, vital funding for anti-trafficking programs and survivor support would disappear. We were delighted when, shortly before the publication of this Annual Review, the Act passed the U.S House of Representatives with an impressive bipartisan vote of 401-20. The Act, if it passes the Senate as well, will make $1.1 billion available for programs supporting victims of trafficking, including shelters, mental health support, education, life skills and job training. It will also make $35 million available for housing for people who have escaped trafficking, and young people leaving foster care who are vulnerable to being exploited in this way.
Originallyaccountable.enactedin2000,
The Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) would enhance the efforts of survivor leaders, government, business, non-profits, and faith organizations to prevent human trafficking, identify and support victims, and ensure offenders and those who facilitate trafficking are held
SURVIVORS RELOCATED TO NEW CAMBODIA LIGHTHOUSE
Maggie Crewes said: “It is so good to have a great space for both our clients and our staff. This really helps us to serve the girls much better, and gives more of a sense of freedom as they have a much bigger area to occupy. We now have a proper clinic room – complete with handwash sink – and our counselors have a dedicated room each, whereas before they were juggling counseling sessions with other staff meeting requirements, which was a big inconvenience. It is great to see the girls playing badminton, skipping rope and running about or caring for the plants! We are so thankful for this great space and hope and pray we can use this Lighthouse to house and serve the girls who need to access these services.”
Dedicated team Prior to the move, new bathrooms, showers, wiring and a kitchen were installed, and the site underwent a deep clean. Our team of nine house-mothers live on site, working on rotation to provide 24-hour cover at the Lighthouse. We also have three case managers, two counselors, one nurse, an intake officer, a safeguarding officer, Lighthouse manager, guards and drivers operating out of the site.
The new Lighthouse has three floors, three large rooms for the girls’ sleeping quarters, counseling rooms and space for confidential client sessions and family meetings. There are meeting rooms, offices for the team leader and Lighthouse manager, case managers and counselors, a clinic, and a large recreation space which is used for yoga, dance, relaxation, education, life skills lessons and more. There is also a large classroom and library room, plus a compound with space for the driver’s office and guard house and another small office which may be used by our rescue or prevention teams in the Maggiefuture.Crewes added: “The girls love the outside play area and garden space with all the trees and greenery. It’s a large area for them to run around, have fun, and take part in sports activities such as badminton, volleyball and ping pong. We know that physical activity will also positively impact their mental wellbeing.”
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Hope for Justice has moved to a new Lighthouse in Cambodia, providing a safe haven for young survivors of human trafficking and modern slavery.
A total of 22 girls and young women who have been trafficked, or who were at risk of human trafficking, were safely relocated to our new Lighthouse when we moved in March 2022. Four of them have since been reintegrated back with their families, with our team providing follow-up care. The location is a huge improvement upon our former Lighthouse site, which was located in a busy, commercial area. We have increased capacity to house up to 30 girls, ages 0-18, as well as our growing staff, expanded recently to increase the quality of our work and to run the new Stepping Stones project. A huge space that meet the needs of the girls and staff Maggie Crewes, our Country Director in Cambodia, said: “The space at our old building had become very inadequate. One of the primary concerns was that, during recent heavy rains, the floodwaters rose to the entrance compound. We had also outgrown the premises, and wanted to create capacity to house our beneficiaries and staff team in a space that was purpose-built. “The search for a new building took around nine months and we looked around dozens of properties before finding the right one. We have had to do a lot of work on the building to get it fit for purpose, but it has all been worth it. We now have a huge space that is perfect for the girls’ and staff needs.”
23 USA: NEWEST
‘We will seek out human trafficking and stamp it out’
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In 2021, we opened our new Hub in Iowa, covering the wider Midwest region and staffed by dedicated and experienced investigators with years of experience working with vulnerable people and complex cases. Senior Investigator David Gonzalez and his team have made a huge impact already in the time since the Hub began operations. Another new team member, Investigator Greg Hall, has 16 years of law enforcement experience, with a specialism in tackling violence against women and in online crimes against children, including child sexual abuse. He explained why he chose to join Hope for Justice, saying: “It’s wonderful to be able to use my skills and experience against human trafficking, a crime I became passionate about ending after being part of a taskforce targeting large exploitation networks. I’m excited to be helping to put a stop to human trafficking in Iowa and far beyond.”
Working with law enforcement and prosecuting attorneys The investigators also focus on ensuring perpetrators are brought to justice. One such perpetrator was a 43-year-old man who forced three women into abuse while filming them for pornographic websites. He is now serving four years in prison after facing 62 human trafficking charges, for which Hope for Justice and law enforcement held him to account. Richard Schoeberl, U.S. Investigations Team Leader at Hope for Justice, said: “We are relieved that finally, justice has been done for these women, who suffered a terrible and prolonged ordeal at the hands of a man they were in a relationship with at the time. We would like to thank the women for their incredible bravery in sharing their stories.”
The Iowa team have partnered with Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS), the state’s largest law enforcement agency. We have been regularly sharing intelligence to help more victims rediscover their freedom, and investigating largerscale human trafficking rings and networks.
David Gonzalez, Senior Investigator at Hope for Justice, said: “This partnership will have an enormous and lasting impact, allowing us to work side by side to find and rescue more victims and enable them to rebuild their lives. Together with Iowa DPS, we will send out a message to human traffickers; we will not tolerate exploitation. We will seek it out, stamp it out, and make traffickers accountable for benefiting from the fear and misery of the most vulnerable.”
Amy Veon, Criminal Intelligence Analyst at Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, said: “Partnering with Hope for Justice will allow us to help more law enforcement agencies identify traffickers and help those who need it the most.”
In North Carolina, our U.S. Survivor Care Program – for women who are already free from human trafficking and who need dedicated support and aftercare – continues to evolve to be able to reach the most survivors possible in a way that makes the most impact. HOPE FOR JUSTICE HUB BRINGING FREEDOM
Alongside full investigations, our Hub teams also do community outreach work (138 people helped this year) and training, in-person and virtual (4,871 people trained in 2021-22).
Together, the Iowa team and our first Hub based in Nashville, Tennessee, worked 79 human trafficking cases during 2021-22 and rescued or helped to rescue 23 individuals. One of these victims was Coral, whose partner isolated her away from her family, then held her captive and sexually exploited her for profit.
Created a repository which was shared with the wider antitrafficking sector with resources to safeguard displaced individuals from FormedUkrainepart of the steering group for Cumberland Lodge and the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s work on Emerging Practices in Child Trafficking Fed into the development of the new Modern Slavery Strategy through the Modern Slavery Strategic Implementation Groups Contributed to the consultation on sentencing guidance
• Supported the development of www.ukrainianswelcome.org website
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• Contributed to the U.S. Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report
Highlights and key activities in our Reform work this year:
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• Collaborated with the wider UK anti-slavery sector to respond to the New Plan for Immigration consultation and subsequent Nationality and Borders Act, raising awareness of the implications for survivors of modern slavery, and encouraging supporters to raise concerns with their PresentedMPsatthe House of Lords on the increased risk of human trafficking for displaced people from Ukraine Produced briefing papers on the risks of trafficking related to the Homes for Ukraine scheme and the Procurement Bill, and (with partners) drafted a briefing on the potential harm of the Bill of Rights Contributed to improving the Homelessness Code of Guidance around modern slavery, and attended a roundtable on nexus between trafficking and homelessness Input on the Survivor Care Standards in Uganda
• Reviewed the UK Ministry of Defence’s strategy on human security Published thought leading pieces on the risk of trafficking due to conflict, the Human Rights Act reform and the Nationality and Borders ParticipatedBill in over 70 networks to share best-practice based on the evidence from our programmatic activity
• Collectively responded to UK government consultations on Human Rights Act reform and the Victims’ Bill Helped the UK to develop modern slavery strategy through Home Office Strategic Groups Input on the Constructive Dialogue on UNTOC (United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime) and its protocols
Collectively, as an organization, we drive change by increasing awareness and understanding of human trafficking, and influencing society to take action. Through training, advocacy and collaboration, we promote best practice, ensuring that knowledge is passed on and can continue to be developed.
Reform is a process that involves initiating and strengthening legislation, policy, practices, standards, structures, knowledge, beliefs and behavior.
• Shared knowledge on holistic, survivor-centered justice approaches at the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), and Intersectional Gender-Focused Prevention Strategies at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) Drafted an open letter to raise awareness of the risk of human trafficking following the mass displacement of individuals in Ukraine, signed by more than 70 of the world’s leading anti-trafficking and human rights organizations
• Provided invaluable insights about human trafficking survivors’ access to justice and effective remedies for GRETA (The Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings) for its third report on ContributedNorwaytoacademic and wider research, on access to legal aid, re-trafficking, and other key topics
ReviewAnnualFederal and International Influence –Hope for Justice frequently works with or is represented on influential networks including: 1.Coordination Unit for Victims of Trafficking (KOM) Network (Norway) 2.BMM Regional CSO Network 3.East African Child Rights Network 4.National Task Force Committee on Prevention of TIP 5.National(Uganda)Child Protection Working Group (Uganda) 6.Alternative Care Technical Working Group 7.Uganda(Uganda) Child Rights NGO Network 8.Uganda Legal Aid Service Providers Network 9.Coalition(LASPNET) Against Trafficking in Persons in Uganda 10.Working(CATIPU) Group on Statelessness (Uganda) 11.National Refugee Protection Working Group 12.International(Uganda) Anti Human Trafficking Advisory Group 15.Delta13.Alliance(UK)8.78.7Alliance and Delta 8.7 Justice Policy Group 16.LichtensteinProject Initiative 17.The Knoble Financial Crimes Working Group to Prevent Human Trafficking 18.Modern Slavery Strategic Implementation Group (MSSIG) on Prevention (Co-chair) 19.MSSIG (Modern Slavery Strategy and Implementation Group) on Victim Care (UK) 20.MSSIG International Group (UK) 21.MSSIG on Transparency in Supply Chains (UK) 22.Member of the Oversight Group for the National Modern Slavery Statutory Guidance on Identification and Care 23.MOPAC(UK)Mayors Office for Policing and Crime on Modern Slavery Strategy (London) 24.Advisory Group on National Training Standards (UK) 25.Home Office Group on Developing Modern Slavery Training (UK) 26.Walk Free Brexit Groups (UK) 27.Anti Trafficking Monitoring Group (UK) 28.Human Trafficking Foundation Network (UK) 29.Independent Anti Slavery Commissioner steering group on Cumberland Lodge Conference 30.ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative) 31.CEO Network (UK) 32.Mecklenberg County Task Force (US) 33.Human Trafficking Commission of NC (US) 34.Charlotte Continuum of Care (US) 35.Iowa Network on Human Trafficking (US) 36.Businesses to End Human Trafficking in Iowa (connected to Iowa Attorney General) (US) 37.Tennessee Bureau of Investigation state-wide Task Force (US) 38.The Knoble 39.Consortium(US)ofChristian Relief and Development Associations (CCRDA) (Ethiopia) 40.Supreme Court Referral Network (Ethiopia) 41.Child Protection Case Management Working Group 42.Child(Ethiopia)Research and Practice Forum (Ethiopia) 43.Consortium of Self Help Approach Promotors (Ethiopia) 25 U.S. National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month 2022 Every January in the United States is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, as decreed by presidential proclamation, and also known as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. In 2022, we ran a campaign throughout the month called Empower, Prevent and Protect. It was aimed at encouraging us all as individuals to educate ourselves about human trafficking and to learn to spot the signs of trafficking. We encouraged people to take these messages to their workplaces, churches, schools, representatives and everywhere else. We had a special focus on online child exploitation, with cases having risen drastically, especially since the height of Covid. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) saw a 130% increase in online enticement reports in 2021 compared to 2019, 44,155 vs 19,174. It also estimates that 1 in 6 endangered runaways reported to them in 2021 were likely to be sex trafficking victims. Human trafficking generates billions of dollars each year, exploiting some of the most vulnerable people in our society. People are often shocked to find out that it is happening here in the U.S., hidden in plain sight. Hope for Justice will continue to campaign to raise awareness, and more importantly to take action ourselves on behalf of victims and survivors.
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David Phillips is Logistics & Supply Chain Director at Sunbelt Rentals UK, which became a member in 2021. He said: “Slave-Free Alliance have been really helpful in working with us and helping us work through how you identify that risk [of exploitation in supply chains] and how you approach the supplier.”
Representatives of Slave-Free Alliance and the Utilities Against Slavery industry working group at the Thomson Reuters’ Stop Slavery Awards 2022
Slave-Free Alliance helping more businesses than ever to build resilience against modern slavery 2021-22 was a phenomenal year of expansion and success for Slave-Free Alliance, the business-focused social enterprise wholly owned by Hope for Justice. Launched just a few short years ago in 2018, Slave-Free Alliance already has nearly 100 member businesses. It offers specific services to even more companies, and is now operating in multiple countries (the UK, Norway, Australia and the USA).
Slave-Free Alliance also engages with scores more smaller and medium-sized businesses and organizations. The Slave-Free Alliance team is made up of specialists from a range of backgrounds and professions, including senior law enforcement leaders with experience leading major operations to identify forced labor in the commercial sector; supply chain specialists who have worked across a variety of sectors in China, the Asia-Pacific region, North Africa, Europe, and the Near East; and a learning and development team with over 16 years’ experience in conducting training needs analyses and in designing and delivering training solutions. They can all also draw on the world-class skills of the wider Hope for Justice team, globally. Our clients and members trust us to act as their ‘critical friend’ and to deliver tailored services to make their operations and supply chains resilient to labor exploitation, and to address issues safely.
Slave-Free Alliance is engaged with major multinational businesses – including 12 that are current or recent members of the FTSE 100 index – through membership, consultancy and client services. Collectively these businesses, plus Slave-Free Alliance’s three largest privately owned clients, have more than 1.2 million employees around the world, with total revenues of $280 billion.
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Social value procurement Slave-Free Alliance Training & Technical Team Lead, Rachel Hartley, joined a panel discussion alongside influential public sector procurement leaders to discuss the concept of ‘social value’. The conversation focused on the importance of thinking of the human element, not just the transactional, in procurement decisions. What may seem small day-to-day purchasing decisions by people in business and government organizations can have a tangible impact on the likelihood of exploitation or even human trafficking further down a supply chain. The link to the video of the discussion is available via Slave-Free Alliance’s social media accounts.
• A high quality pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) to be used across members’ procurement platforms for effective due diligence Developing a common approach to working with Creatingsuppliersa suite of key performance indicators to raise the sector standard, monitor progress and collaborate on challenges
Pictured: David Phillips from Sunbelt Rentals UK, with members of the Slave-Free Alliance team
To mark Anti-Slavery Week in October, the working group launched the #WasteSectorSaysZero awareness campaign. There are plans to continue the campaign during 2022.
Working groups show commitment to action against modern slavery Utilities Against Slavery, facilitated by Slave-Free Alliance, is a collaborative working group of more than 25 utility organizations that collectively employ more than 100,000 people, with a supply chain spend of approximately $25 billion.
Slave-Free Alliance also facilitates another major industry body, The Waste & Recycling Modern Slavery Working Group. Our 18 member businesses regularly exchange know-how to increase internal buy-in on the subject of building resilience to modern slavery, from the boardroom to specific frontline sites. The sector is acknowledged as being at higher risk for modern slavery, and the Operation Fort investigation – which resulted in the largest prosecution in UK history – showed how members of an organised crime gang had specifically placed trafficked victims at recycling and processing facilities.
The role of technology During 2021-22, Slave-Free Alliance has been working with a partner to develop a new technology solution known as SC3, which will get its full public launch soon. SC3 technology provides integrated services for effective and efficient modern slavery risk management. It will be a platform for continuous improvement and remediation. These automated services provide organizations with the tools and information to take decisive action, including ‘Gap Lite’ self-assessment; supply chain risk assessment; media scanning; guides, references and briefings; and training videos and resources. SC3 will be a platform for action, helping organizations to protect their operations, supply chain and people from forced labor through automated analysis and tailored information. With global legislation and stakeholder focus on business and human rights, organizations need to be continuously on top of their labor exploitation risks.
Shortlisted at the Thomson Reuters’ Stop Slavery Awards 2022, Utilities Against Slavery aims to use the power of collaboration to raise the utility sector’s resilience to labor exploitation. Its members include National Grid, Severn Trent, Centrica, Cadent Gas Limited, United Utilities, Anglian Water Services, SSE plc, Electricity North West, Thames Water and OVO Energy. The group’s successes during 2021-22 include: Training over 500 colleagues and suppliers through a ‘Lunch and Learn’ series with the Supply Chain Sustainability School
• The group is chaired by volunteer Peter Thompson, the former Commercial Director of Electricity North West.
Technology solutions like SC3 can help with this.
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Advising multinational firms on avoiding forced labor and exploitation
In December 2021, the U.S. Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) was signed into law. Slave-Free Alliance warned during 2022, before it came into force, of low levels of engagement and understanding among global businesses of the new prohibitions on importing goods from China whose supply chains might have been tainted by forced Absolutelylabor.everything that is mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, or by certain legal entities, is now presumed by the U.S. Government to be made with forced labor and prohibited for import – unless very detailed documentary evidence can be provided to challenge this Marcpresumption.Stanton,Director of Slave-Free Alliance, said: “We work with many of the world’s largest multinational businesses, who employ more than 1.2 million people and turn over hundreds of billions of dollars, and we have been startled how few of them are prepared for the implementation of this complex and wide-ranging legislation. In reality, we do not yet know if enforcement will be so strictly enforced as to demand this high level of evidence for all imports, but it does demonstrate the level of preparation that businesses will need to do if they want to ensure compliance.”
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Robert Camp Chair, Hope for Justice
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All of us who sit on the Board of Hope for Justice and its subcommittees take our roles incredibly seriously, ensuring highquality oversight of all activities and setting the strategic direction of the organization. We seek to avoid and mitigate risks to the charity, its staff and beneficiaries, while being careful stewards of money donated by generous supporters across the world.
We want to ensure that every cent and every penny donated is used for maximum impact, and we have rigorous policies and processes in place to monitor this – across our programs and also our office functions. We strive to repay the generosity of donors with the kind of careful stewardship of their money that they themselves would hope for. This is particularly important at a time when economic conditions are affecting the lives of those we serve, as well as those who choose to support us.
Our monitoring and evaluation data tells us that the charity’s various programs reached a total of 199,894 people during the year, which is a phenomenal number and a real achievement.
Reflecting on my own first months as Chair and on 2021-22 as a whole, there has been so much happening across the charity, so much change and progress – but most important are the people we have been able to reach and the lives we have been able to change.
I am overjoyed when I see freedom being brought to people who had been trapped in modern slavery; when I see vulnerable and exploited children returned to their families; and when I see Hope for Justice expanding its work into new regions to help more people.
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It has been an immense honor to have been appointed as Chair of Hope for Justice after my predecessor, Peter Elson, stepped down in late 2021 after nine years of service. He set a very high standard, leading with wisdom and integrity.
I want to thank each and every supporter of Hope for Justice, because it is you who empower the work we are able to do, and which you will read about in this Annual Review. I also want to thank my fellow Board members as well as the Executive team, the staff and the volunteers who together make Hope for Justice such an extraordinary organization.
Hope for Justice P.O. Box 280365, Nashville TN 37228 (+1) info.us@hopeforjustice.org615-356-0946 Hope for Justice is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization We Will Be The Generation To End Human Trafficking HOPEFORJUSTICE.ORG